Know What Good Looks Like
Benchmark excellence before approving a product
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 96%
Start by defining the problem the product must solve, then establish a visible standard for what excellent execution looks like. Ava and Bec drew reference attributes from premium skincare products because the sunscreen formulations they wanted did not yet exist. They later described repeating the same work for new markets: inspect competitor claims, handle market-leading products, compare price and performance, and ask whether a real customer would put money down. The mechanism turns taste into an approval system. Reference products supply observable criteria; target-customer input challenges founder bias; and competitive research shows whether the proposed solution is differentiated. The result is a faster, more confident decision because the team is comparing the candidate against known standards rather than debating preferences in the abstract.
Origin
Extracted from The Foundr Podcast
Core principles
- 01Approval standards must exist before the final decision
- 02Adjacent categories can reveal the attributes your category lacks
- 03Direct product experience is stronger than assumptions
- 04The target customer should judge what the founder cannot
How to run it
- 1
Name the problem
State the customer problem and the specific improvement the product must deliver. Reject ideas that exist only because the team wants another item to sell.
Pro tip Write the problem in language a customer would recognize.
Watch out A broad category opportunity is not the same as a specific customer problem.
- 2
Map the alternatives
Study what customers currently buy, including direct competitors and substitutes. Note price, claims, experience, positioning, and points of similarity.
Pro tip Include adjacent categories when they demonstrate an attribute your category lacks.
Watch out Ten brands solving the same problem in the same way is evidence to reconsider differentiation.
- 3
Build the benchmark
Choose examples that represent excellence for each important attribute. Convert those observations into concrete approval criteria.
Pro tip Use products physically rather than relying only on websites or reports.
Watch out Do not confuse personal preference with a market-wide quality standard.
- 4
Bring in the consumer
If you are not the target customer, recruit people who are and test their willingness to use, carry, share, or pay for the product. Ask behavioral questions rather than requesting general opinions.
Pro tip Test with the actual age, skin type, geography, or use case the product targets.
Watch out Founder instinct is weakest when the founder is outside the target segment.
- 5
Make the approval call
Compare the product against the benchmark and the customer evidence. Approve only when the team can explain why the offer is good and why someone would choose it.
Pro tip A clear benchmark reduces second-guessing when production deadlines force a quick decision.
Watch out Do not use deadline pressure to lower a standard that was set for a reason.
In the wild
The founders could not point to an existing premium sunscreen that matched their vision, so they used excellent moisturizers, primers, and glow serums as references. They combined those desired attributes with regulated sun protection, then worked with a chemist to make formulations lighter and more suitable for their intended positioning.
→ The team had concrete sensory and positioning standards even though the intended category combination did not yet exist.
A founder developing a commuter mug could compare the leak resistance of a market leader, the grip of sports bottles, and the cleaning system of premium kitchenware. After testing prototypes with rail commuters, the founder would approve only a design that clears the chosen standards and earns credible willingness to pay.
→ The decision uses observable product and customer evidence rather than the founder's taste alone.
Common mistakes
Approving from instinct alone
Personal enthusiasm does not establish what the target customer values or pays for.
Researching without using
Web claims cannot replace touching, wearing, or otherwise experiencing the reference product when sensory performance matters.
Ignoring saturated sameness
A crowded market is not automatically bad, but copying ten equivalent solutions leaves no clear reason to choose yours.
Is it for you?
Best for
Founders developing consumer products in categories where experience, texture, design, or positioning affects purchase decisions.
Not ideal for
It is not sufficient by itself for regulated testing, technical validation, or proof of market demand at scale.
From the transcript
“know what good looks like”
“know what problem you're solving”
“be really honest with would someone put money on the table”
From the episode
517: We Made $400K In 6 Months Selling Sunscreen